Collegium Vocale Gent . Ricercar Consort . Oltremontano . Philippe Pierlot

Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) was one of the most productive, as well as one of the most original composers of the Reformation. He wrote more than a thousand works, based, almost without exception, on Protestant hymns and on Latin liturgy of the Lutheran church service of his time. Praetorius possessed enormous creative resources. He was very systematic in his composing, had total command over the text material and an inexhaustible knowledge of its practical pertinence. His motto was: 'Concio' - or, good service - calls for 'Cantio', - or, good music, and song (with loads of instruments). He was quite aware that Europe's musical heartbeat in the beginning of the Seventeenth Century was Italian. Praetorius did not just follow the example of Aichinger and Hassler and just incorporated the 'prima prattica' of Palestrina He looked for active association with the new musical approach, which was happening on the other side of the Alps. He was in contact with people like Heinrich Schütz, who was profoundly influenced by Giovanni Gabrieli. The madrigals of Lassus and Marenzio became an inexhaustible new source of inspiration to Praetorius. His words "musica per Choros Caelestia canens" ("the art of the choir is truly a celestial way of making music") do absolutely describe his musical posture.